A Crown of Laurels, A Chain of Promises

The auditorium buzzed with excitement,families, faculty, and a sea of proud graduates waiting for their moment under the spotlight. But no one shone brighter than Arla-Rosa Hernandez.

At just twenty years old, she stood tall in her cap and gown, the youngest graduate to walk across the stage that day. Her name was whispered across the hallways with admiration, awe, and just a touch of envy. Prodigy.Genius. The youngest doctor our institution has ever seen. But Arla-Rosa didn’t hear any of it over the pounding of her own heart.

Her gaze swept across the room, searching for the few familiar faces that mattered. There, near the front,Seth, smiling as if the world belonged to him. Her parents, Gerard and Almay, sat beside him, their expressions polite but distant, as always. Aretha waved from her seat, lips curved in a sugary smile that never quite reached her eyes.

And in the far back, by the exit doors, stood Master Ye. Arms crossed, face unreadable, but his eyes shone with something softer,something like pride. When her name was finally called, the entire auditorium erupted in applause. “Arla-Rosa Hernandez, summa cum laude.”

She crossed the stage with practiced grace, accepting her diploma with a bow. Cameras flashed. People whispered about the "medical prodigy who finished her studies in half the time." The dean gave a small speech in her honor, highlighting her groundbreaking research and unprecedented achievements. The future, they said, was hers for the taking.

After the ceremony, the real storm began. Hospital directors and senior doctors approached her with business cards and glowing praise, eager to recruit her before anyone else could. “Dr. Hernandez, we would be honored if you considered joining our surgical residency program...”

“Your thesis on cranial regenerative therapies was revolutionary. We’re prepared to offer you a leading research position..” “Miss Hernandez, the youngest graduate in our institution’s history deserves a platform worthy of her talent...” Arla-Rosa listened politely, smiling graciously, even as her heart fluttered with nerves.

Every offer was a dream come true,proof of everything she had worked toward. But with each kind refusal, her chest tightened just a little more. “I’m grateful for your offer,” she said with practiced ease, “but I’ve chosen a different path.” Brows rose in confusion.

“My fiance’s company needs me.” She laughed lightly, waving off the stunned looks. “I actually started out majoring in business management before switching to medicine. Guess you could say neither field was quite challenging enough on its own, so I’m merging them instead.”

Her words were lighthearted, but the disappointment in the doctors’ eyes was unmistakable. Seth, standing nearby, slipped an arm around her waist, his smile perfectly rehearsed. “She’s always been full of surprises,” he added smoothly, earning polite chuckles. But as the crowd thinned and well-wishers moved on, a faint, unreadable glimmer crossed Seth’s gaze. Whether it was pride, or something else entirely, Arla couldn’t tell.

Later, as the sun dipped behind the campus buildings and the crowds dispersed, Arla-Rosa found herself outside the auditorium, diploma clutched in her hand like a fragile promise. Master Ye approached, his footsteps slow but steady.

“Congratulations, Doctor,” he said, the faintest curve of a smile tugging at his lips. Arla’s chest swelled with warmth. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Master.” “Hmph.” He eyed her quietly. “The world is eager to claim you. Yet you choose a smaller garden to grow in.”

She bit her lip, guilt creeping in despite herself. “Seth needs me. His company...” “Is his garden, not yours.” His voice was low but firm, eyes sharp as a blade honed from years of quiet wisdom. “Don’t bury your roots in soil that will never nourish you.” Arla swallowed, unsure how to respond.

But before she could speak, Seth’s voice called from across the courtyard. “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere.” His grin was effortless as he strolled over, slipping an arm around her shoulders. “Master Ye,” Seth greeted smoothly, his polite mask firmly in place. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for Rosa. I’ll take it from here.” Master Ye gave a slow, deliberate nod, his expression unreadable. “Be sure that you do.”

That night, Arla-Rosa sat on her balcony, diploma in hand, the city lights twinkling like scattered stars. She had achieved everything she’d dreamed of, graduating at the top of her class, praised by mentors, coveted by prestigious hospitals. And yet, she felt strangely hollow.

But when Seth pulled her close, whispering promises of building a future together, of how proud he was to have her by his side, the emptiness faded. She told herself this was enough. This was love. This was home. Far below, in the shadowed streets, Master Ye walked alone, his thoughts heavy. “A prodigy who buries her wings,” he murmured to the night sky. “Fate may yet force them to break.”